Free Rock Show
by YellowBirdForOne
Summary: The call of sex, drugs and teenage rebellion is a hard one to resist...so is the blue eyed drummer. Think you're badass enough? Modern day, rock music, and Newsies!
1. The flyer

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**Crosswalk on Pearl Blvd, Friday 11:20 am**

"WATCH IT!!!" yelled the driver angrily at the girl who narrowly missed being hit by his screeching car.

"Damn swabs." Muttered the girl under her breath, even though she shouldn't have ran through when the red hand was flashing. Ignoring the catcalling from a car full of sailors stopped at the intersecting light, she adjusted her short jean skirt and pulled her plain grey shirt down, thinking of how much she hated crossing the streets that issued traffic from the navy base. The young sailors looking and hooting at her from their souped-up low ride cars always irked her a bit.

Kat, as she preferred to be called, looked inside the plastic Rite-Aid bag she was carrying to recheck the hair color she bought. Even though she spent an hour sitting in front of the expanse of hair dyes in the aisle, she was nervous about the change in color. Putting vibrant coppery-red streaks into thick black-brown hair that reached the middle of her back would make it the first time she'd dyed her hair. But more than anyone else, she knew that there was a first for everything. Living cautiously would never be the style of Kat Kaylor.

Passing by a telephone pole with a black-and-white flyer on it, Kat quickly rerouted, turning back around to look. With the words _FREE ROCK SHOW_ scratched boldly at the top, the paper was decorated with hand-drawn-yet-anatomically-incorrect skulls and listed bands. Peering at the notice on the wooden pole through the thin black frames of her glasses, Kat nearly yelped when she read the local bands on the line-up: Subversive Youth, The Underfed, and best of all of the local high-school garage bands: The Newsboys.

Digging into the small messenger bag she was carrying, Kat pulled out her cell phone to round up the girls for a night of punk rock.

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Alright, please review with your opinions... (Flames are welcome, too)


	2. getting ready

Thanks to all who reviewed and who sent in characters for the casting call. I now have the five main characters, but everyone else that sent something in will have a few small cameos here and there, so watch out for....yourself. uh, yeah, anyway, not every character is coming in during this chapter, so read on if you don't appear.

Which reminds me... everyone now cast realizes that this is soon to become a rated R story, right? I hope so... R for language, sex and drug use in later chapters. I'm truly sorry I forgot to warn earlier.

Thanks to you all.

Disclaimer: I do not own the newsies, any of the music in this story, or any other copyrighted thing.

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The phone rang three times before a tired voice answered,

"Kat? It's sooo early."

"No, it's not! Wake up Kaya, you're helping me dye my hair today, remember?" Kat asked, secretly happy she'd be able to show off her new look at the show tonight.

"Oh yeah...did you buy the dye already? You know I don't have eight dollars to loan right now..."

"Of course I bought it." Kat said quickly, cutting her off in the excitement of telling her about the show. "Look, are you doing anything tonight?"

Kaya paused for a second before responding with a slow, "No... why?"

"Newsboys playing a show... with some other bands that I don't recognize, but they should all be good, right?"

"Are you serious? The Newsboys? God, the lead singer is so hot." Kaya seemed to wake up a significant amount more. "Sounds like it'll be awesome. Who are we getting a ride with?"

Kat suddenly remembered that she hadn't yet asked her mom, but she was almost positive her mom would let her go. Her single mother was barely ever home for her only daughter, but knowing her schedule, she'd be able to give them a lift before going back to work.

"We're getting a ride with my mom." Kat answered simply, playing on her faith in her mother. "Can you come over now to dye my hair?"

"It's over ten blocks to walk to your house... I just woke up."

"An hour?"

"Sure. See you."

Kat shut her flip phone with satisfaction, happy to know that Kaya was going to go. Kaya was laid back, easy to talk to, and never afraid of meeting new people. She was a regular at shows and especially loved The Newsboys because of her crush on Jack Kelly, who was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist.

Knowing who she was going to call next, Kat flipped open her phone again and deftly punched in the number. Saiorse Callan was her favorite friend to party with and Kat loved the fun, daring girl.

"Hey Kat." Saiorse answered in her bright voice.

"Wanna go to a show tonight? Live rock music... many hot punk rocker guys." Kat said, as if dangling bait to entice her into going. She knew Saiorse's weaknesses, because they were almost identical to hers: partying and guys. Taking her excited squeal for a yes, Kat continued, "Be at my house at six thirty if you're going to get ready with us."

"I'll be there!"

Kat smiled again as she shut her phone and but it in her handbag. Pulling out her house key and walking the stairs to her second-story apartment, she let herself in and flopped onto the couch, considering whether or not to call Bailey and invite her. Kat really wanted her to go, but she knew that rock shows and meeting a bunch of strangers was not Bailey's idea of a fun Friday night. Often shy and quiet, Bailey hated being around people she didn't know very well and much less would like the atmosphere of a rock show, seeing as drugs and drinking wouldn't be out of place at the venue. Hoping she would decide to go, Kat called her in spite of her reasoning.

The answering machine picked up, and Kat knew that Bailey was screening her calls. So she started of her message with a mock sinister voice, saying "Hello, Clarice..." the phone clicked as Bailey quickly picked it up.

"Hey girl. What's up?"

"I know it's not really your thing, but I was wondering if you wanted to go to a rock show with me. Just a regular venue thing." Kat asked tentatively.

"I dunno, Kat. Those shows never seem like fun to me."

"I Just figured I'd try anyway."

"Promise you'll call me and tell me how it goes, ok?" Bailey sounded truly sorry that she couldn't go with her, but Kat knew that Bailey wouldn't have much fun.

"Alright, talk to you later."

Kat and Bailey were extreme opposites of each other. Kat cherished the freedom that an absent parent and open attitude bought her, and pushed the limit at every turn. She never liked to think of danger or consequences, but lived for the moment and chose her own path, her own mistakes, and her own happiness. Disregard for caution, rules, and her own set of morals regarding drinking and sex bought the girl a 'rebel' reputation. Kat also possessed an insatiable wild streak, and an unshakable nerve.

Her two accomplices that went to her school were Saiorse and Kaya, and both had a similar label of 'bad girl', both for different reasons. was bold and daring, and completely unafraid of anything. Saiorse lived life fast and fun, and never halfway did anything. She was a true 'now or never' type. Saiorse was just out of a serious six-month relationship, which she had ended on good terms. Saiorse had a short temper sometimes, but Kat and Kaya knew how to handle it. Kaya was laid back, and often was the voice of reason to the other girls. She had a knack for getting out of trouble because she could very easily persuade adults to think how she wanted them to. Kaya knew how to have fun and seemed to always make friends instantly wherever she went.

Shaking off the disappointment about Bailey not going to the show, Kat walked down the hallway to her room. Pulling out one of her unlabeled mixed cds, she popped it into her player and pressed play. Turning the volume knob up until she could feel the base vibrations in the floor of her room, Kat circled in place slowly, swaying to the beat that flooded the small apartment.

_Take me down, six underground_

_The ground beneath your feet_

_Laid out low, nothing to go_

_No where or when to meet_

_I've got a head full of drought down here_

_So far off from losing out down here_

_Over ground, watch this space_

_I'm open to falling from grace_

Even though she loved rock music a lot, Kat listened to every kind of music she liked. It just depended on her mood. The lack of a breeze today made her family's upstairs apartment extremely hot, and like almost always, she had the place to herself. She walked back out to her living room and locked the door. She peeled off her shirt, preferring to walk around in her lacy black push-up bra from Victoria's Secret than with her damp shirt sticking to her back.

Kat stood at the end of the hall looking at her reflection in the full length mirror in her hallway. She had always been relatively happy with her body, even though she was always slightly envious of tall, curvier girls. Kat was 5'3, and at a size somewhere between a three and a one, and had a small build. Her waist was small, and her hips were narrow, and she barely fit into a 32 b bra. She was one of those girls that remained naturally petite. But lack of curves never seemed to stop her very much.

Kat was always secretly happy when guys told her she was hot or sexy. And it was not all just flattery, Kat had smooth golden-toned skin, a long neck, high cheekbones and small, bow-shaped lips. Her eyes were a hazel, large and almond shaped, encircled by a fringe of dark eyelashes. Her hair was thick, dark and cut into long layers that had a slight natural barrel-wave. She looked down at her hands. Her black nail polish was chipped, so she got up to search the bathroom cabinet for nail polish remover and cotton balls.

While removing the remainder of the cheap drugstore nail color, the doorbell rang. Checking the peephole to make sure she didn't open the door shirtless to a neighbor complaining about the music volume, Kat unlocked the two locks that bolted the door shut and let Kaya inside.

"What are all the locks for?" Joked Kaya, while taking off her shoes, "You expecting attack by a herd of zombies?" Kat smiled a sheepish sideways smile; Kaya and had seen **_28 Days Later_** with her, which scared Kat to hysterics.

"Har Har, very funny." Said Kat while picking up the Rite-Aid bag to show Kaya the color.

"Ooh, I love it!"

**Kat's Apartment; 5:50 p.m. Friday**

Kat tossed her hair in front of the mirror above her piano. The coppery streaks glinted in the sun and brought out the warmth of her skin. Not being able to hold back a smile, Kat turned to her 'hairstylist' and hugged her.

"Kaya, you're a genius!!!" Kat turned back to the mirror and ran her hand through her hair.

"It does look good, doesn't it?" She stood next to Kat in the mirror. Kaya Williams was an inch taller than Kat. Kaya had wavy black hair that reached her shoulder, tanned skin, and brown almond shaped eyes. "Do you want to see my outfit? I brought what I'm wearing tonight 'cause I'm too lazy to go all the way back home!"

Kat nodded eagerly, because she always loved Kaya's style, and wanted to see the jeans she'd been working on. Running to the front door where she'd left a grocery bag of her stuff, Kaya pulled out a pair of light colored jeans, now completely decorated with metal studs down one side and patches for various punk rock bands.

"Oh...these are so awesome." Said Kat, holding out her hands to see the jeans. Turning them over, she gasped, "Is that a patch for The Newsboys? How'd you get it?"

"At the last show of theirs I went to, Jack was manning their merchandise table... I had to buy _something..._" Kaya smiled mischievously, "I'm just going to wear that with my grey Ramones shirt. What are you going to wear?"

Kat had absolutely no idea, but it was apparent that she couldn't just go in her push up bra.

"What do I wear?" Kat looked at Kaya imploringly. She looked thoughtful for a moment while sitting on the couch, then got up and marched into Kat's room, gesturing for Kat to follow. Opening up the third drawer of her white dresser, Kaya fished through the unfolded clothes and pulled out a crumpled black shirt, tossing it to Kat. Kat held it out in front of her. It was a black spaghetti strapped top, the front laced down with ribbon.

Kat said, raising her eyebrows at her friend. It was a tiny, extremely low cut shirt that would barely cover her belly button. Kaya said nothing, only opening the top drawer and rummaging through the underwear, fishnets and bras. Even though she bought every bra she owned at Victoria's Secret, Kat refused to spend a ton of money on underwear. Instead, she owned dozens of the type of thongs that, to find, her and Saiorse would have to dig through a bin at Charlotte Russe.

"I don't know how you manage to find the flashiest g-strings." Said Kaya, as she picked up a bright neon green one that fell to the floor. "If I knew all day that I was wearing this under my jeans, I couldn't concentrate- here it is!"

Kaya pulled out one of the thigh-high fishnets that Kat had worn - and torn – the previous Halloween. Grabbing a pair of scissors, Kaya cut the end off it and cut a small hole an inch away on the side. "Switch your shirt and put this fishnet over your arm." She instructed.

Kat complied and changed her shirt and put the fishnet, and finding no clean jeans, pulled out a pair of dark wash, low cut jeans out of her dirty laundry pile and pulled them on over her black thong. Looking in the mirror Kat smiled at her reflection.

**Kat's apartment; 6:50 pm**

The doorbell rang, reverberating through the small apartment. Kat dashed to the door and opened it, and Saiorse stepped in, looking at Kat's outfit and smiling.

"You look so wild... this show's gonna rock. Like my outfit?" Saiorse indicated to her tight camouflage-patterned pants and her strategically slashed black shirt."

"Inventive as usual." Said Kaya, walking out from the hall, "Isn't that my bracelet?" She asked, pointing out the thick, studded strap of leather around the girl's wrist.

"Watcha gonna do about it, shortie?" Laughed Saiorse, pulling her black hair into a ponytail. It was true, compared to Saiorse's 5'10 stature, Kaya was a good deal shorter. "I love your hair, Kat!" She said as she finally noticed the streaks in Kat's long hair.

"Thanks!" said Kat, brightening at the compliment. "Should we all start to get ready now?"

The girls all raced to the bathroom to get a good spot in the mirror.

**Mrs. Kaylor's SUV; 7:30 pm**

"Thanks for driving us, Mrs. Kaylor!" Saiorse and Kaya chimed from the backseat.

"Yeah, thanks Mom." Said Kat. "Can I turn up the music? I love this song!"

"Oh, go ahead Kathryn." Said her mother, as the car full of excited girls rode down the freeway on the way to the show.

_Take me down to the paradise city_

_Where the grass is green_

_And the girls are pretty_

_Oh won't you please take me home!_

As the wailing guitar and loose drumbeats of Guns N Roses rang through the open windows of the car, the girls couldn't help but sing along. They were all extremely nervous and happy, and each one had carefully dolled up for the night. Kaya kept the makeup to a minimum as usual, but she straightened her wavy hair, so it looked beautiful and shiny. Saiorse had her hair pulled back, but she lined her blue/purple eyes with electric green eyeliner. Kat had her long hair teased and messy, and had put a ton of black eyeliner to encircle her entire eye, winging out the slightest amount for the cat eye effect.

Noticing the massive amount of cars parked everywhere and the amount of people wearing band shirts, black clothing and dyed hair, they realized they were already there. The show was going to be held in the spacious, but beat-up area above a small indie coffee shop. Mrs. Kaylor dropped them off around the corner, and the three girls walked up to the shop.

"So I guess this is it." Said Saiorse, smiling her pre-partying smile.

But Kat barely noticed what Saiorse said. She was too busy checking out the hot guy unloading a drum set out of a dented green SUV. The guy had tall, thin, yet muscular stature, medium length light brown hair, and the bluest eyes Kat had ever seen in a guy. He looked up at her, and she looked away. Reminding herself that she looked hot, Kat straightened up a little teller and flipped her messy hair over her shoulder. She snuck another look at the blue-eyed drummer: he was still looking at her.


	3. the show starts

Thanks to all who reviewed!!! Alright, this next chapter will have the rest of the people that submitted to the casting call, and even more rock-ified newsies, so just keep on reading. But I think that we're all smart enough to figure it out. So yeah, new chapter and I love you all!!!!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the newsies, or any other copyrighted thing or any bands or song lyrics referenced. Thank you very much. Uh huh...

Here we go....

* * *

"Hey, you three!!" yelled a voice from behind one of the parked vans.

Saiorse, Kaya, and Kat spun around to see a tall-ish girl with black-streaked blond hair hailing them. Walking over to her, they noticed she wore thick-rimmed glasses and had an eyebrow piercing and small gauges in her ears. She smiled at them as they approached, saying, "Do you girls mind helping me carry up some of the equipment for my band? The guys all ditched me to carry the amps and drums, it seems."

Kat immediately knew she liked the calm attitude of this girl. She also remembered her from a show she'd recently been at. "Stupid boys. Of course we'll help. Aren't you the bassist for The Underfed?"

"Yeah. Have you seen us play before?"

"I was at the house party show two weeks ago. You're awesome, by the way." Said Kat, reaching out her arms for one of the amps, so she could carry it upstairs to where the bands would play. As she walked up the cement stairs, she scanned the area below for the cute guy she'd seen unloading the drum set. Without seeing a trace of him, she turned around again and almost ran into a guy that had been leaning on the railing and smoking a cigarette.

"Oh, sorry about that!" Kat exclaimed, while taking a quick step back and almost slipping down the stairs. The guy she'd almost run into had curly black hair, brown skin, and seemed about four inches taller than her. He wasn't very cute at all, but he didn't seem to care much about her nearly ramming an amp into him.

"It's chill." He said, shrugging his shoulders and putting out the cigarette. "Do you need me to help you with that?"

Kat nodded, her arms were getting achy from lifting the heavy object. She carefully transferred the amp to his arms, and walked alongside him to show him where to put it.

"I would shake your hand, but I'd probably drop this amp. But anyway, I'm Itey." He said, as they reached the inside of the upstairs area. There were walls around three sides, but most of it was uncovered. There was a small space at the very front with a thin roof over it and a raised stage area about a foot off of the rotting wooden-planked ground: the stage where the bands would play. Off to the side were two rooms, a small one where they had been keeping all of their different equipment, and a slightly larger one with plastic chairs, tables, and a water cooler. Kat paused for a minute after entering the small room, wondering which corner was for The Underfed, when the girl with the gauges appeared behind her and Itey, and walked past them. She set down the bass drum she'd been carrying in the far corner, and Itey did the same with the amp. They walked out to the main, outside part of the area.

"How's it going, Itey? You made a new friend?" The girl joked, and then extended a hand to Kat, saying, "I'm Fluxy. What's your name?"

"I'm Kat." Said Kat, shaking Fluxy's hand and then Itey's

"Sick name." Said Itey, shaking her hand. "Is that it then, Flux?"

Fluxy nodded, "The other girls are bringing up the last of it. Did you get your band's stuff up here, yet?"

Itey shrugged again, "Spot's supposed to be bringing in the drums. I don't know where he is right now, though. Where are the rest of your guys?"

"Swifty's on his way, Snitch disappeared, and Skittery realized there was an ice cream shop around the corner." Said Fluxy, looking as exasperated as if she'd been taking care of triplets instead of her three band mates.

"Hey, the ice cream's good!" Said a voice from behind them. Kat turned to behold a tall, somewhat muscularly built guy, holding an ice cream cone and looking a little bit sheepish.

Fluxy looked at Kat, "That's Skittery. He's the guitarist and he has a worse sweet tooth than I do." Skittery gave a little wave to Kat, who smiled back.

"It was nice meeting you guys. And thanks for the help, Itey. I have to go find my friends now." Kat walked away, and soon spotted the tall Saiorse, who was sizing up the people as they came up the stairs.

"Hey!" Yelled Kat to get her friend's attention. She ran toward Saiorse happily.

"You weren't lying about the guys, were you? There aren't very many girls here, are there? You see that guy over there? I lay claim to that one." She said, nodding toward a guy wearing glasses sitting quietly in a corner, tuning his guitar.

"He looks kinda shy."

"I know. Those are my favorite kind!" Saiorse laughed, as Kat had to agree because Saiorse loved to go for her exact opposite.

"Where's Kaya?" Kat asked.

"Over there. With Jack." Saiorse responded, indicating to where Kaya was chatting with Jack. All the girls had a different, distinct way of flirting: Kaya played the friend angle, Saiorse confidently hit on a guy, and Kat would just stand somewhere and wait for them to come to her.

"Tell your friend to be careful." Said a voice from behind the girls, making them jump slightly. It was a girl they had both seen before, she went to their school, but was not in their grade. Her name was Megan Prescott, most known as Granny, and she was the long-time girlfriend of Bumlets, the bassist for The Newsboys. She was well known and loved within the tight knit group of high school garage bands around the city, because she was easily one of the sweetest girls that went to their school, Hearst High. She was around 5'8, curvedly built, with honey-brown eyes, and had blue-tipped long wavy dark brown hair.

Saiorse was the first to speak, "What do you mean?"

"You two are Saiorse and Kat, right? You go to Hearst."

"Yeah, we do. You're Granny." Said Kat, still wondering the meaning to the cryptic phrase from before. Granny looked over to where Kaya was talking with Jack.

"Tell your friend to be careful about Jack. He always seems like a nice guy, but he's an asshole when it comes to women."

Kat was still confused. "I thought you were his friend."

Granny laughed, but said, "I am. But I've known him long enough to see that he's a womanizer."

Saiorse looked over at Kaya. Even though she was talking to Jack in a friend sort of way, Kat and her both knew that the trusting Kaya had a huge crush on him.

"He always starts out as friends, and then he acts like he has feelings for the girls so they're blinded into doing things with them. Then he's over it the next day." Granny explained. Saiorse looked almost shocked that a complete stranger was telling them such personal things, but by the sincerity of Granny, both her and Kat didn't doubt what she said.

"We'll tell her as soon as we get her alone." Said Kat, "thanks for telling us about it."

"It's no problem at all. I'm just glad you two believed me. A lot of the other girls just think I'm trying to be bitchy." Said Granny, in her adorably genuine manner.

"Why do you bother telling the girls about Jack?" asked Saiorse.

"Hmm... I guess it's the least I could do to save nice girls from heartbreak if I can help it." Granny smiled at the two of them. "Oh, there's Bumlets. I'm going to go see him, but make sure you tell her."

"We will." Chorused the two girls. When Granny was away, Saiorse and Kat looked at each other, but there was a silent agreement between the two not to talk about it. After all, it wouldn't be good to talk about Kaya without her being there.

"Hey, come with me to the bathroom." Said Kat, feeling self-conscious just standing there without being in conversation with anyone. Saiorse nodded, and the two walked into the heavily graffiti-ed girls' bathroom, where two other girls already stood washing their hands at the narrow sinks.

"Hi." Said Kat, as she and Saiorse waited against the tile wall for the two girls to get done. One of them was even taller than Saiorse, and had curly blond hair, and the other was shorter, with light blond hair streaked with green to match her eyes. They both smiled through the mirror reflections at Kat and Saiorse.

"What schools do you two go to?" Asked the shorter one in a friendly voice.

"We both go to Hearst. What about you?" Said Kat, glad that these weren't the mean type of girls that she'd run into a lot.

"Oh, Hollywood-"she indicated to the tall girl, who nodded, "-and I go to Denton High. I'm Elizabeth Harker, by the way." She said, drying her hands and smoothing her hair.

"I'm Kat, and this is Saiorse Callan."

"Well, it was nice to meet you two; I'll see you around here." And the two walked out of the bathroom, leaving Kat and Saiorse to check their hair and makeup in the mirror.

"So your claim is on Mr. Quiet-Four-Eyes?" Asked Kat, as she cleaned up some of the smoky makeup that had fallen out of place around her eyes.

"Yup. A coffee from downstairs says I get asked for a number." Said Saiorse, attempting to entice Kat with a bet. Kat laughed, but answered,

"I'm not that dumb. I know your skills too well. Don't know if I'll have such luck."

"Aw, come on! You could stand there and they come to you. You're just really picky." Kat always loved the way Saiorse pointed out things in a blunt manner. It was true to an extent, she always did get approached.... by the weird ones.

"YEAH, by the creepy ones!!!" Laughed Kat loudly, as she applied yet another layer of black eyeliner. She was loving her dark-eyes-messy-hair look.

"Like that really scary one at the house party? That was funny! But seriously though, if you just went up and hit on the one you have your eye on, you wouldn't have a problem at all." Saiorse adjusted her ripped shirt and pulled her pants a little lower onto her hip. "Hey, is your mom working the night shift at the hospital?"

"Yeah... she won't be home until like, ten in the morning. So you can sleep over." Said Kat.

"And-"

"And we can have guys over" said Kat, mischief glinting in her eyes.

"You got a claim, yet?"

"Uh, yeah. Sort of. This really hot guy I saw when we were coming in. I'll show you if I see him."

With a final check in the mirror, the two left the bathroom and walked down the wrecked hall to the main show area. She saw Cappi Bowen and Brandie Foster walking up the stairs into the stage area. Cappi had extremely short, somewhat spiky dark brown hair that gave her a sort of girl-with-attitude look. Her and Kat hung out often, but mostly just for the sake of maintaining ties. Kat never much liked the girl's personality. Cappi proved herself many times over as a treacherous, backstabbing person, whose remarks toward Kat were often blunt and cruel, and hit upon her sometimes weak self esteem. Boredom often caused Cappi to hurt people's feelings for fun, and the victims were people who, though never deserving the bad end of her treatment, could be easily swayed into thinking the worst. Cappi was a wonderful liar, and even though Kat knew how she was, her remarks often really got to her, causing her doubt in things she almost always held steadfast to.

Brandie Foster had light brown hair and green eyes. A close friend of Cappi's, Brandie was very much different. She was sweet, bubbly and enthusiastic and optimistic, though often naïve and always innocent. She was the type who thought the best of everyone, and refused to believe bad about anything.

Brandie spotted Kat first, and grabbed Cappi's arm to bring her over to say hello with her. Kat smiled happily at them when they got to her.

"I haven't seen you in ages!" Said Brandie, giving Kat a big hug.

"Hey Brandie, what's new?" Asked Kat, her mood lifted by her friend's bubbly nature.

"Same ol', same ol'." Said Brandie with a big grin. "Hi Saiorse." Saiorse nodded to the two. Saiorse didn't know Brandie very well, but she wasn't the biggest fan of Cappi.

"How are you, Cappi?" Asked Kat of the short haired girl.

"I'm fine. There aren't many cute guys here, are there?" Replied Cappi disdainfully, looking around her. Kat shrugged, even though she heartily disagreed.

"We're gonna downstairs and get some espresso. Did you want me to get you anything?" Asked Brandie. Kat shook her head. The two girls walked away the way they came, leaving Kat and Saiorse.

Reduced to scanning the 50 or so people in the crowd while waiting for the first band to set up, Kat leaned against the wall. Realizing that the guy from earlier was across the room from her, Kat poked Saiorse to get her attention.

"Over there." Said Kat "blue eyes, Dead Kennedys shirt. Good?"

Saiorse quickly found who Kat had just described. "Wow, hottie... you better talk to him sometime tonight. I won't let you in your house until you do."

"Alright, I will... I promise."

**Coffe House Venue: A little later**

The first band, Subversive Youth was starting up the show, and Kat ventured to the back of the darkened room to get away from the crowd that was smashing together in the front. Feeling slightly abandoned because Kaya and Saiorse decided to mosh, Kat stood on the back of a dirty sofa in the back to get a better view. To her delight, the lineup of this first band was Itey on bass, Saiorse's 'claim' on guitar and vocals, and the guy she'd been eying on drums. Of course, this impressed Kat to no end, considering that a few months ago she had started drumming and currently was nowhere nearly good enough to be playing a show.

The moshing, head-banging atmosphere of the place was infectious, and the band was absolutely awesome. Kat barely noticed her head starting to nod in time to their cover of The Adicts' Get Adicted. The guy on drums played better than most his age, and he put Kat's simple drumming to shame. Getting slightly unnerved about standing in the back of the room alone, Kat walked into the side room with the plastic chairs, where the bands had set up the merchandise tables. The guitarist from The Underfed, Skittery, was sitting looking bored while manning the tables for his band and Subversive Youth as well.

"Hey, mind if I sit with you?" Asked Kat, who felt as if she needed a little practice on approaching random guys. Skittery pulled out a plastic chair next to him behind the Subversive Youth table.

"I don't mind at all." He said as she sat down, "I was getting a little lonely."

"Aww, merch table duty no fun?"

"Nah. I'm just stuck with it for a little bit, though. We play next." Said Skittery.

"That's cool. So do you run off for ice cream often?" Skittery blushed a little at Kat's question, but laughed.

"Yup. I just couldn't help it."

* * *

PLEASE REVIEW!

Alright, I think I just added in everyone who responded to the casting call. If I missed you, grab a large wooden plank, hit me, and remind me to add you in!

Something I gotta ask of **Pizzadork, C.M. Higgins, Lady of Tir Na Nog, **and **Ershey:**

All of who your characters represent got tangled up in some pretty sketchy things occasionally during the time this story will cover. Since I'm trying to remain true to events and not offend anyone, I feel I need to ask your permission before involving your characters in something you are completely against.

So I need each of you to help me by cutting and pasting this and answering _yes_ or _no_ to these, to whether I'm allowed to associate any with your character. Not each of them will apply to you, but please be open to things!

**Drugs:**

**Sex:**

**Drinking:**

**Swearing:**

**Smoking (cigarettes):**

Thanks, you guys... please answer soon!


	4. Spot Conlon

Hey you guys, another chapter! Thanks for answering so fast to the little 'survey' I had to have you guys fill out. It's really going to help a whole lot when I continue the story with the multiple plotlines. Please keep on reviewing, I love to hear from you all. And constructive criticism is one of the most helpful things you can do for me.

Disclaimer: still don't own anything that you recognize.

Onward!

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Kat and Skittery continued their conversation at the merchandise tables, yelling to hear each other above the power chords of the guitar and the pounding drumbeat. From the door to the merch table area, Kat had a clear view of the mosh pit that had formed in the front of the room. Saiorse and Kaya were both jumping to the beat near the front, and Kat even saw Saiorse wink at the lead singer and guitarist. The dark-haired guy looked at her through his glasses and smiled shyly.

"So you play guitar?" Asked Kat.

"Yeah. I've been playing since I was seven, so that makes it about ten years of playing." Answered Skittery.

"So you must be awesome then, huh?" Kat smiled coyly, knowing by the way he flushed that he was very much flattered. "My friend plays guitar, too. He's been playing for about half as long as you."

"Does he play electric?"

"Naw, Racetrack plays acoustic." Kat smiled inwardly as she thought of Race and his guitar. He was her best friend, and they had known each other since childhood because he lived in the huge house next to her apartment complex. Whenever they were just relaxing quietly in his room, he would pick his acoustic up and play it, and if you pretended not to notice he would always start to sing without realizing it. He didn't an amazing voice, but it never wavered on notes, and Kat had always found a calm, pleasant escape in her the familiarity of Racetrack's unconscious singing.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Asked Skittery, attempting a nonchalant tone.

"No, just a really close friend." Kat raised her eyebrows in playfully suspicious look that made him blush again. "So what's the lineup for your band?"

"Well I'm on guitar, and Fluxy's on bass, but you already knew that. Snitch is our drummer and Swifty's the lead singer." Skittery said, rattling off the names as Kat connected them to the faces she remembered from the last Underfed show she saw.

"I was at the house party show a couple weeks back." Kat said. "You guys put on quite a performance."

"You mean Swifty put on quite a performance? The convulsing on the floor while singing is what really entertains these punks." Skittery smiled and shook his head at his friend's crazy in-concert antics.

"Yeah... I've never seen someone seizure in time to the music before."

"Takes skill." Said a new voice to the right of Kat. She looked up to see Swifty, the convulsing lead singer for the Underfed, smiling at her. While offstage, he seemed pretty normal. He extended a hand to Kat. "I'm Swifty."

Kat was a little embarrassed, considering they were just discussing him, but she shook his hand anyway. "I'm Kat. I saw your last show."

Swifty nodded then turned to Skittery. "Traffic was a killer, man. Where's Fluxy? I promised to tell her when I got here."

"She's in the pit. Wait, no... she's up front with Specs." Skittery nodded through the door to where Fluxy was singing into the microphone with the bespectacled lead singer. Kat loved how everyone from the bands knew each other so well. It added to the camaraderie of the high school rock scene. Swifty thanked them and walked out of the room, joining the mosh pit outside. Kat wished that she could see the drummer from were she sat, but alas, the angle was just a little off. She could barely see the bass drum if she leaned toward Skittery, which she didn't do so as not to scare the guy she just met.

They talked a little more about music, and Kat found out he was a big fan of Rancid and Nofx, and he shared her love for AC/DC. They became so absorbed in conversation that they didn't realize that the set was over, until they noticed the mosh pit had drifted apart, waiting for the next band. The members of Subversive Youth came into the side room, and grabbed cups of water from the water cooler before plopping into the plastic chairs around the room. Itey spotted Skittery and Kat and walked over, paper cup in hand.

"Hey, you the merch girl now?" Asked Itey jokingly of Kat, who smiled and shook her head.

"Hey Itey, how's it rollin'?" Asked Skittery.

"All good. Hey do you want me to take over so you can get ready to play?" Skittery nodded, and stood up so Itey could take his seat.

Skittery paused for a moment, and then said to Kat, "Hey, uh, you got a number or something?"

Kat's insides jumped with a small surge of happiness and feeling very flattered, she nodded. Skittery dug his cell phone out of his pocket and tossed it to Kat, who entered her name and number into the phone book before handing it back to him. Skittery smiled awkwardly, before turning around and walking through the door, jumping down the three of four steps in front of it into the main area.

"You played really well." Said Kat to Itey, pulling a conversation out of thin air.

Itey grinned, "What can I say, I'm great." He laughed to show he was joking. "Specs is really good for just two years of playing, and Spot's a fuckin' prodigy." Across the small room, the cute drummer looked toward Itey, hearing the sound of his name mentioned. Itey waved him over.

Kat straightened up a little in her chair as he approached the table. He sat down next to her, reaching across to spit shake with Itey. Kat hadn't seen a handshake like that since the third grade.

"Hey, I'm Spot." He said, giving her a slight nod of his head. Kat was secretly grateful he didn't shake her hand after spitting in it.

"Kat Kaylor." She managed weakly. She suddenly noticed that his eyes were bluer than she originally thought.

"What school do you go to?" Itey asked Kat.

"I go to Hearst." She answered, regaining confidence.

"That's where Granny goes. I go to Irving High." Itey laughed at the look on Kat's face. Most people had that reaction when finding out what school he went to. It was in the poorest area of the city, and every day, the students had to walk through metal detectors to get in.

"I go to Saints." Said Spot casually from next to Kat. Kat had to fight down the urge to widen her eyes in shock again. Who would have thought that this guy at a concert in a faded Dead Kennedy's shirt and cargos would go to the most exclusive and expensive private catholic high school in the area.

"How old are you two?" Asked Kat.

"We're both seventeen." Responded Spot, answering for the both of them. "What about you?"

Kat had a split-second debate in her head whether or not to lie about her age. She really wanted Spot to take an interest in her, would her age crush it? Deciding that the truth was always better, she answered, "Fifteen."

With a crash of cymbals, the music in the next room started up amidst wild cheers from the audience that had reassembled into a tight group in the front. Itey leapt up from his chair and pretended to tip his hat toward Spot and Kat as he left the table, shouting with the crowd as he joined the moshing, which was again picking up speed.

Kat looked out the door, getting lost in the pounding music and forgot Spot for a few moments. Spot leaned the chair back on two legs, and surveyed Kat out of the corner of his eye. She was extremely attractive, and his insight with how people acted told him correctly that she was interested in him. But he recognized her name immediately when she introduced himself, and he hid the fact that he knew her by her wild reputation. She was nothing like he'd imagined....

The sound of Spot slamming the chair down on all four legs caught her attention. She turned and saw him looking at her, tapping his fingers on the table- an odd habit he had from too much drumming. She looked at him sideways and flipped her messy hair over her shoulder.

She leaned toward him with a hint of a seductive smile, "Wanna go outside for a smoke?"

Spot nodded, stood up, extended his hand and easily lifted the small girl to her feet. They walked through the back door, and coming across the steps that led from the upstairs area into the alley behind the front of the main street. They could still faintly hear the music from the show. Sitting down on the steps, Kat pulled out her pack of Camel Lights while he pulled out his pack of Marlboros. Spot was already lighting his cigarette as Kat rummaged her pockets for her cheap lighter.

"Use mine." Spot said, tossing her his lighter, which she caught in midair. Kat flipped the metal top open, and spun the wheel, lighting her cigarette. Taking a drag, she took a closer look at the lighter. It was one of those trusty metal flip-top ones. Emblazoned on the front were tiny gothic style letters, spelling, "CONLON".

"Conlon." Kat murmured quietly, and handed the lighter back to Spot.

"My last name." He said, turning his face toward her and smiling lopsidedly. Seeing the familiar surprised look in her eyes when she heard the last name, he added, "Yeah, as in _The _Conlons." Everyone in the huge city had heard of the Conlon family. They were an old, wealthy family that owned a couple expensive high-rise condominium towers in the bustling downtown, and contributed a ton of money to the hospitals.

Trying not to let her intimidation show, she replied jokingly, "I might have heard of you once or twice before."

"How come I've never seen you at many of these before?" He asked.

"I don't usually go." Kat said.

Spot nodded, "How'd you like our band?"

Kat took another drag at her cigarette, and flicked the ashes at her feet.

"You're the best drummer I've seen for your age... but you probably know that." She raised an eyebrow and smiled playfully at him, watching flattery work its magic as he looked particularly pleased with himself.

"You're the hottest girl I've seen here tonight... but you probably know that, too." Spot's cool blue eyes narrowed at her.

Kat smirked, "Don't think you're getting me to me, you player."

Spot turned to look at her for a second and laughed, then leaned forward and put out the cigarette on the stair in front of him. He hadn't told her that he knew her by reputation. He had heard her name mentioned by his friends that went to the school. He also knew she never fell for any guy, nor did she want to be tied down to any guy either. Little did she know, that was about to change. Spot loved a challenge, and now he had assigned himself one.

"Well, beautiful, look who called the kettle black." Spot remained relaxed and unconcerned.

"What do you mean by that?" Kat asked.

"Don't think I don't know who you are, Kat Kaylor. Quite the bad girl from what I've heard." Spot leaned toward her, smiling victoriously. She was visibly shaken, and stared at him incredulously. Regaining composure, she leaned in closer to him.

"What are you gonna do about it?" She asked with mock defiance. Spot studied her in the half light that outlined their faces from the show above them. Kat held eye contact with him as his hand crept up her neck to hold the side of her face. He leaned toward her more, and kissed her lightly. Spot pulled away, his hand still on her face. His icy blue eyes bore into hers, as his arm wrapped around her tiny waist. Pulling her in tightly, Spot kissed her again, with a fierce wanting that made her head spin.


	5. something wicked this way comes

(A/N) I'm trying to update a lot more, so bear with me... I'm just caught in the sophomore slump of this new school year. I went back and revised the story a bit because I decided that I wanted to make this a lot more fictitious than it was turning out to be. Ha... it had started to creep me out how I was writing the memoirs of my summer with my friends. A bit too personal. So this is the souped-up version- same basic storyline, but with much more flair, description, and drama.

Sex, drugs, rock n' roll.

Onward we go...

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**Meanwhile upstairs...**

"Where in the FUCK is Spot?" Yelled an angry Blink, slamming his body into a chair at the same table with two of his other band members from the Newsboys, Bumlets and Mush. Bumlets was sitting relaxed, his arm around his girlfriend, Granny, who sat on the side of his chair. Mush sat across from Blink, looking as quite confused at his friend's sour mood. Mush was known within the tight-knit group of garage bands as "Mush the Mauler", a joke, considering he was known for his naivety, and his kind and gentle disposition.

Bumlets looked at his girlfriend, knowing how she avoided involvement in the subject at hand. He also didn't want to pull the innocent Mush into it as well. Bumlets nudged his girlfriend and gave her a meaningful nod. Granny then turned to Mush, saying,

"Hey, come with me to buy an espresso before you guys play." Before the perplexed Mush had time to respond or sift through any of the confusion, Granny had him by the upper arm, dragging him through the crowd toward the stairs to the front of the coffee shop.

"So what's the problem now?" Asked Bumlets in a low voice, leaning toward Blink. Blink fumed silently for a moment, then shifted his eyes to the front door and stage area, to the back door, where unbeknownst to him, Spot and Kat sat talking. After a moment, he spoke.

"Spot. Can't find him." Blink spoke in short sentences, careful not to be heard by anyone around them. But this was an unnecessary precaution, the loud music of The Underfed made it difficult to carry on even a normal conversation in the small adjacent room.

"Did you already pay him?"

"No."

"Then what's the problem?" Bumlets shook his friend as his friend. Always one to overreact.

"Just that he disappeared. I called him earlier with an order, and he said he'd have it. I saw him earlier. I know he was here." Blink looked around again. Spot was the most reliable guy he knew. They were very close friends, and Spot had never let him down before.

"He was here. I saw him talking with that Kat Kaylor chick. The one that goes to your school." Bumlets went to Denton High, but also knew of her.

"Kat Kaylor the Slut." Blink seemed even angrier now. "God dammit, Spot!"

"That's not right." Said Bumlets, sticking up for a girl he had never really met. "She seemed super chill and really nice. Spot seemed to like her enough."

Blink sat back huffily in the plastic green chair. The girl was hot as Hell... but business is business. Spot should have his priorities straight. Bumlets shook his head and also sat back, looking around for Spot, hoping to find him before Blink really blew a fuse. The lead guitarist in The Newsboys, and a well-liked guy among the band circuit, Blink also had the tendency to be very extreme in emotion and actions. Happy, sad, angry and violent: everything to the furthest it could be taken.

Spot came around the corner and through the little back door that led into the side room, pulling Kat in behind him by the front belt loops of her low-slung jeans. Blink saw him immediately and jumped up, pushing himself around the other plastic tables and chairs to get to Spot.

"Conlon! CONLON!!" Blink yelled above the power chords that caused the rotting floor planks to vibrate. Seeing Blink and knowing what he was after, Spot turned to Kat.

"Wait here a second, ok?" Kat nodded and flashed him a quick grin. Spot ran to meet his blond-haired friend who also went to her school, and she stood in the corner, moving unconsciously to the beat and unable to stop a smile from coming across her face. The hottest guy there was interested in her, and he had kissed her out on the back steps. Poor Kat was falling fast.

"Where in the hell were you?" Questioned Blink. Spot nodded to where Kat stood alone, waiting for him.

"With Kat." Spot answered simply, shrugging.

"Fuck, man, way to go." Blink laughed and playfully punched Spot in the arm.

"Nah. Just talking." Said Spot casually. His friend had a sick mind.

Kat had been looking at the band playing, and trying to give Spot a little privacy. But curiosity overtook her and she watched the two guys talk, wondering if they were talking about her.

"You got my order?" Asked Blink, lowering his voice below conversation level.

"Have I failed you yet, Blink?" Spot asked, as Blink handed him a wad of money. Trusting his friend, Spot didn't bother to count the money. Blink wouldn't short change him the $70. Spot pulled out his Italian leather wallet and stuck the money in, not bothering to unroll it. He wanted to get back to Kat before she noticed anything.

Digging into his front left pocket, he pulled out two neatly folded envelopes of waxed paper and handed them to Blink.

"This good stuff?" asked Blink.

"Damn straight it is." Spot grinned and spit-shook with Blink.

Across the room, a shocked Kat looked at a poster on the wall intently, though her mind flashed across what she had just seen. She knew what those envelopes were from the health class videos they'd shown the students in seventh grade. She knew exactly what was contained in those neatly folded squares. Not only was Spot Conlon the hottest guy there.

Spot Conlon dealt _cocaine_.

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Last time, I only got three reviews, so I think I might not continue this if I don't get more. So please review and give me a reason to continue procrastinating on my homework. shunted aside Geometry stares sullenly 


	6. text messages and ice cream

Kat didn't quite know how to react. She spotted Saiorse in a corner talking to the lead singer with glasses from Spot's band. Chancing a glance at Spot, who was still talking to Blink, Kat started to make her way over to her.

_God damn.Thought_ Spot, seeing Kat's panicked walk toward her tall friend. _She had to have seen that._ Excusing himself from Blink, Spot rushed to redeem himself before he lost Kat.

Kat yelped and jumped back when Spot appeared out of nowhere in front of her.

"Going somewhere?" He asked, narrowing his eyes without a trace of a smile.

"Yeah…uh… I have this thing that I need to talk to Saiorse about. Very important. So if you'll just excuse me…" Kat backed up a couple paces while she stammered out a bad excuse to escape.

"I'm sure that she'd appreciate it more if you just left her and Specs alone." Spot could hardly keep from laughing, because Kat looked so terrified of him. _She loved to pretend she was tough and badass, but when it came down to it, she was the type of girl that wanted to fly into someone's arms at the first sign of danger, _Spot thought to himself, falling back on his familiar habit of reading people. In the back of his mind, he promised himself that one day, he would be that person for her. The challenge of getting commitment-phobic Kat Kaylor to feel for him just became much more interesting for him.

"But…uh…" Kat's eyes widened. She wished Racetrack were there. When they were kids, Racetrack was the brave one that watched her back.

"I have some explaining to do." Said Spot, taking her hand and leading the speechless Kat to the back stairs where they kissed a few moments ago. "So I take it that you caught the 'transaction'?"

**Kat Kaylor's Apartment: 12:38 pm**

Kaya, Saiorse and Kat sat on Kat's living room floor, which they cleared of furniture and threw down every blanket and pillow they could find. Crowded around a pint of Ben & Jerry's cookie dough ice cream and armed with a spoon, they chewed over the night's events in their pajamas.

"Ugh!" said Saiorse, as Kat beat her to a huge cookie dough chunk, "you steal my cookie dough and you make me listen to people whining to guitar!"

"Hey!" exclaimed Kat with her mouth full, voice raised above Timberwolves at New Jersey, "Taking Back Sunday just so happens to be one of my favorite emo bands, so be nice!"

"Speaking of being 'nice'" said Kaya, "you looked like you were being _pretty nice _with ol' blue eyes!"

"Ooh, I forgot all about that!" Gasped Saiorse, jabbing her spoon excitedly at Kat.

"Oh, you mean Spot? Psh… it's nothing!" Kat tried to hide the grin that was creeping to her lips.

Just then, Kat's cell phone beeped twice the back pocket of the jeans she had left discarded in a heap on the floor. Crawling from the ice cream to the beeping laundry, she pulled out the phone.

**MESSAGE RECEIVED: SPOT**

Having exchanged numbers with Spot before she left the venue, Kat barely expected him to contact her at all, much less only hours later. For some strange reason, she felt her heart beat quicken as she checked the new text message.

**Got plans 4 2nite?**

Giggling a little, Kat looked at her friends, who were looking at her anxiously to find out who her midnight caller could be. The phone beeped again in her hands, and Kat opened the message screen again.

**Can't sleep, need ur company, can u come out?**

"So what does he say?" Asked Kaya, digging into the ice cream.

"Uh…who?" Asked Kat, blushing a bit.

"Oh, come on!" said Saiorse in her signature 'no bullshit' way. "We were watching you. I gotta give you credit, Kat. I didn't think you'd gather the guts to talk to him tonight."

Kat glanced at the clock on her wall, then at her two friends.

"Do you two think you could hold down the fort for a couple hours?" Kat asked tentatively, not wanting to give up too much information.

"Of course!" laughed Kaya, " Where are you two going anyway?"

Kat shrugged. "That's not really the point, I guess. I kind of just wanted to go to be around him."

"Oh don't tell me you've grown fond of a member of the opposite sex, Kathryn Kaylor. What happened to your 'no-strings' policy?" questioned Saiorse.

"Me? Feelings? Get real! Guys screw over your heart, they're only good for sex anyway." Laughed Kat, as she rattled off her familiar maxim with assuredness.

"Thought you were going soft on us for a second there, Kat! But if this 'Spot' can get through to a sensitive nerve, by all means let him." advised Saiorse.

Kat opened the message screen on her phone to answer Spot.

**Can u pick me up?**

Holding the phone close to her and watching her friends attack her ice cream, Kat waited tensely for the return text. Surely enough, it beeped again, scaring Kat senseless for a second.

**Wat's**** ur address?**

Kat returned it, wondering where he lived so she could give adequate directions.

**K, I'll see u in 15.**

…obviously he wouldn't be needing them

Realizing she wouldn't want to be caught in pajama bottoms that had pink shooting stars all over them, Kat ran to her room and pulled on a short, black, flippy skirt that was hanging in her closet. Pulling her black camisole off, she realized that the window behind her was wide open, and Racetrack could just peek over his balcony into her window and catch her in her bra. Spinning around and crouching by her window in one movement, Kat peered over the windowsill into Race's lit room. Luckily enough, Racetrack had his back to her playing his guitar, and scratching tabs on a sheet of paper.

Still aware that she was wearing no shirt, Kat looked through her dresser drawers again, and pulled out the first top she saw. Tugging the thin, maroon sweater over her head, Kat made a quick check to make sure she wasn't spotted by her neighbor.

Kat ran into her bathroom and quickly dragged a brush through her long, messy hair. Having already removed her makeup, Kat quickly applied mascara to her large eyes, and swirled blush onto her cheeks with the large, soft brush that she loved to use.

Looking in the mirror, Kat was glowing with excitement.

"Kat, your phone's ringing" a yell from the living room summoned her, racing, back down the hallway. Kat flipped the phone open.

"Hello?"

"Come outside. I think I've got the right place."

"Alright. Bye."

Pulling her shoes over her little blue ankle socks, Kat grinned animatedly at her two friends.

"Bye, you guys!" she squealed, flying out the door and accidentally forgetting to close it all the way.

Saiorse got up from where she was sitting, and shut the door all the way quietly, sliding the locking bolt into place.

"Them young'ns." She said to Kaya.

Kaya nodded from behind the ice cream.

"Can never keep 'em home"


	7. Iron men and tiny dancers

(A/N) HEY! Thanks for bearing with me… It's been forever and three days since I've added another chapter. I know I've lost some good readers, but I hope I can get all you back along with some awesome new ones. Please leave reviews!

This is more of a transition paragraph to get my blood flowing to my fingers again. The plot should thicken soon!

…..

Kat ran out down the pathway to the front of her apartment complex. There were no lampposts on her street and the darkness always made her feel slightly paranoid. She quietly shut the iron gate that had the keypad lock to get back in. Kat hesitated, peering down the row of cars parked along the street without a clue as to what Spot's car looked like. A sharp whistle cut through the night, causing Kat to jump slightly and look in the direction it came from. Headlights flashed once, and she steadied her breath while walking toward the car. It was a new BMW, shiny black with a sleek frame. As she neared it, Spot grinned from behind the wheel.

"You gonna hop in, or will I wait here all night?" Spot laughed and started the engine. Kat went around to the passenger side and sat down in the black leather seat. She looked shyly at Spot as he reversed out of the diagonal space, having no idea what to say.

"Night's been treating you well?" He asked, shifting into a higher gear as they raced down the nearly empty on-ramp for the freeway.

"It is now." Kat remarked simply. Spot turned to look at the girl next to him, who met his gaze with a faint smile crossing her fox-like features. He laughed inwardly. This was going to be a battle; they could see right through each other's games. They were both, by turns, bold, coy and insinuating. Spot turned up the volume to the expensive stereo system he had installed. Black Sabbath's Iron Man played, resounding from the rolled-up tinted windows throughout the car.

"So where to, Kitty Kat?" he asked, grinning as she groaned at the nickname.

"Anywhere you want to be right now?" She asked, hands gripping the seat as he sped down the lane next to the median.

"I'm already where I want to be." He spoke nonchalantly. "Did you want to go anywhere, or do you want to go back to my house?"

"I don't care all that much." Kat said.

"We'll just go to my house." Spot said, changing all the lanes at once on the empty freeway to make it to the exit he wanted.

"I know Blink might have said something to you regarding my reputation, but just because we're going to your house alone, don't get any ideas." Kat was aware that guys thought she was easy. _Well stuff that_, she thought. Kat's attitude toward sex and parties was very nonchalant, but she was always careful and never 'easy'. She had her limits.

Spot looked at her and started to laugh loudly.

"Defensive much? I don't bite. And don't worry doll, you're safe." He signaled with his blinker and turned left, stopping at the gate and waving to the security guard. The gate slid open on electric rollers without a sound. A huge house loomed on a hill, growing larger as they neared it. Kat was instantly reminded of Batman's mansion.

The house was massive, some parts of the stone walls were covered in ivory, and massive dark wood doors rose past wrought iron gates. Spot drove the BMW around back and parked it.

"I'll leave it outside so I don't have to get it out of the garage to take you home." Said Spot, putting his hand on Kat's lower back to lead her toward the back door of the house.

Kat stared in awe at the house. Only a few lights were on among the expanse of windows that sprinkled the mansion. Spot opened the back door and allowed her to go in first. Kat found herself in a huge kitchen with marble countertops.

"Four ovens?" Asked Kat jokingly. "You don't look like a big eater."

"You'd be surprised" Said Spot, walking over to the fridge and pulling out sodas. "Regular or Diet?"

"Diet, please." Spot handed her the can. She opened it up and took a sip.

"The four ovens are for entertaining. I always hate the big dinner parties." Spot grabbed a glass of ice to put his Coke into. "Come on, let's go upstairs."

Ignoring the grand, sweeping marble staircase, Spot went down a hallway until he reached a narrow, spiraling iron staircase.

"This is the way I use to get to the East Wing, so it doesn't echo in the marble hall and wake up the 'rents." He said, beckoning her to follow him up.

"East wing?" She asked.

"I'm an only child, so I get a suite to myself."

"Oh." They walked down a dark hall past many shut doors and Kat tried to remember the way they were taking. She lost count after their second left turn.

Spot stopped in front of a pair of double doors, pulling his keys from where they hung on his belt loop to unlock the door. They stepped into a dark room, and Kat squinted her eyes, unable to see. Spot flipped a few switches, and light fell from dim lamps onto a huge room with guitars, amps, basses, a grand piano and a complete drum set. There were a couple couches, and a table. Kat walked over and sat down, staring at her new surroundings.

"The band uses this as practice space." Said Spot sitting next to her.

"Your parents don't mind?"

"Nah, they're on the other side of the house. Besides, it's soundproof." Spot smiled wickedly at her. Kat blushed, without knowing why.

"Can you play?" She asked motioning to the piano that took up a whole corner.

"I prefer drums, but I've had piano lessons since I was three." He answered, sipping his soda, the ice cubes clinking in the glass. "But don't ask me to-"

"Play me something." Kat said, cutting him off.

"Aww why? Piano's so…"

"Please? I'd love to hear it. I promise I'll be impressed." Kat looked at him imploringly. Spot scowled but crossed the room and sat at the shiny black bench.

"What do you want to hear?"

"Just play whatever sheet music you have in front of you." Said Kat. Spot looked at what was in front of him and groaned.

"Promise you won't laugh at what song it is." Kat nodded at him and he began to play Elton John's Tiny Dancer.

"Gonna sing it too?" Laughed Kat.

"Are you trying to kill me?"


End file.
